Other side of the continent: Valparaiso is a coastal town not far from Santiago, with an old town perched on a very steep hill, criss-crossed by ancient steep stairways and cobblestoned streets that are often so steep that the sidewalks are stairs too. It’s the ultimate wheelchair-unfriendly place. It’s an UNESCO world heritage site.
On our host’s recommendation, we had dinner at a hidden little restaurant that turned out to be a treasure chest of thousands of knick-knacks from tiny figurines to a meter-tall wooden dog and a huge bomb suspended from the ceiling. The food was great and the owner sang love songs to Chile and Valparaiso.
